UNHCR halts activities at encashment centres in Afghanistan after female staff barred from work

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that it has temporarily suspended activities at its returnee encashment centres across Afghanistan, after de facto authorities ordered Afghan female staff not to work.

In a statement released on Thursday, the UN commission said that its women employees had been refused access to some of its locations across the country.

“Security forces are visibly present at the entrances of UN premises in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif to enforce the restriction. This is particularly concerning in view of continuing restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls,” the statement said.

The encashment centres (EC's) provide cash support and other assistance to Afghans returning after years of displacement and exile. According to UNHCR, 52% of returnees are women, meaning female staff are essential to interviewing and supporting them.

Arafat Jamal, UNHCR’s Representative in Afghanistan, said the suspension was unavoidable. 

“We are working towards a solution that will enable female aid workers to assist female returnees, and are hopeful for a speedy and pragmatic resolution, in collaboration with the authorities. Meanwhile, we have been forced to temporarily suspend activities.” Jamal said.

Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), raised the issue directly with Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul during a meeting with diplomats.

She urged the authorities to lift restrictions, stressing that the situation is “unacceptable”, and asked Muttaqi to take personal responsibility.

“Our national women staff can’t come to the UNAMA office to work, to do this rescue work. I think this is unacceptable… We want your personal involvement and help to make our work possible,” she told the minister.

The suspension risks deepening humanitarian crisis in an already vulnerable country.

The UN estimates that more than 29 million people in Afghanistan require aid, with women and children disproportionately affected.

Analysts have warned that cutting women staff from humanitarian operations could leave millions without access to essential services such as food, shelter, and health care.

UNHCR stressed that its priority remains the safety and security of staff, “particularly among our female staff, and at the same time, supporting the humanitarian needs of displaced and returning Afghans, as we have done for four decades.”

Afghan authorities have not yet issued a formal response to UNHCR’s announcement.

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